Faker, Violent Soho, GraftonPrimary @ ANU Bar (28/05/2008)

Sun 1st Jun, 2008 in Gig Reviews

After seeing a change in band members, a breakdown in communication, and a rapidly expanding fan base – there is no denying that right now Faker are bigger and better than ever. In their tenth year; Faker is made up of Nathan Hudson (vocals and guitar,) Nic Munning (on bass), Stefan Gregory (guitar), Lucio Pedrazzi (drums) and the unforgettable Dizzi Decazz (who gives the band its electric mayhem.)

Known for their energetic shows, Faker’s newie Be The Twilight has proven to be a success with the band receiving nationwide airplay (especially This Heart Attack.) Canberra’s show was predicted to be a sell out- and almost was. All bands put on a heart stopping performance.

The night of nights began with Violent Soho; a remarkable grunge band all the way from Brisbane. They certainly stunned the crowds at ANU with their sound, as well as their ability to rock out. Each of the four members had hair past their necks, and a question came to mind: was the long hair a requirement to be in the band? Whatever the case, it was the talent behind the covered faces which made quite an amiable performance. They presented Canberra with tracks similar to that of Nirvana and The Pixies. Songs like Jesus Stole My Girlfriend kept the crowd on guard – as did the constant head banging. Violent Soho were violent only by name – their set proved to be sweet as.

Grafton Primary had the audience hands down as soon as Ben Gardner laid his hands down on the synthesiser. After embracing applause from the audience – Ben’s eclectic brother Josh (vocals) and smooth Robbie (drums) made their entrance to the stage. They played tracks off their forthcoming album such as S.O.S Hello, a track which stood out in their set list. Each song was well crafted with a unique mix of synths, beats and vocals. The two crowd favourites were I Can Cook and Relativity. Before heading on the Faker tour, the boys had been working on their debut album which is scheduled for release in September. There is no doubt these boys will be headlining their own shows very soon with a large following.

Flashy lights, and stirring music spelt Faker’s entrance. The band came on beaming with electricity – especially bassist Nic Munning who had something just bursting from his smile. Faker played out their best – hitting punters with favourites. Bodies, The Familiar, Teenage Werewolf, Are You Magnetic? and Don’t Hide were only some of many songs that got the crowd amped up. Hudson did not live down his reputation as a climber. He kept moving back and forward – left to right, making sure he had made eye contact with absolutely everybody in the audience. He also jumped up onto the barricades letting everybody in the front row cop a feel. This left the audience craving more and more.

On songs like Love For Sale, it was good to see Hudson get behind the guitar, but it did seem to constrain him on stage. Once his guitar was passed back to the road crew, he was back to flinging himself around the stage which everybody loved. Faker closed with This Heart Attack but after a ridiculously loud cheer for an encore, they came back to leave Canberra with Quarter To Three. “This is the way we go,” the crowd sang along side building up to a climatic finish. Faker deserves credit for being able to keep the audience static from start to finish. Other bands should be warned – this performance was high up there in – œthe best of’. They will be welcomed back – and fans will remain charged until they returned.